My blood tastes like gold
by My Simple Plan Rulez
Summary: *Title may change* "Alone, the last time we left you alone you did...this."...That was the truth. The ruined kitchen knife. The bloodstained bathroom tiles. The wrapping of his wrists. Maybe he was sick. Sick in the head...
1. Chapter 1

_**Well I was meant to upload this last nigh but Fanfiction wouldn't let me sign in so I had to wait until the morning (for me) to upload it. Lucky people in America, you're all asleep. Okay well first ly things you mus know:**_

_**Linger's name is pronounced Lyngur, yeah I know. Also Ponyboy is 16 and Linger's 17. Johnny and Dally (sob sob) aren't alive it take place (if you couldn't guess, two years following the book. Thus we can begin (finally)**_

* * *

><p>Linger Christoph sat wordlessly on the edge of his bed. His mother was in tears just looking at her son, Linger's father just looked cold and hard. He held the blood stained knife gingerly by the handle. He needn't say anything, his expression said it all. Linger sat with his hands clasped thinking up a way he could get out of it. But it was a false effort, there was no way he was going to get out the fact that what he had done was wrong. No, worse, it was sick.<p>

"Dad, I'm..." Linger's voice failed him

"We raised you better than that Linger, why?" his dad asked

"I...I don't know." Linger said quietly

Disgusted at his sons failure at explanations he dropped the knife to the floor. It fell with a clank against the ground. Linger stared at it, what had he been thinking. He hadn't been thinking, that was it. Not before nor after. In between was a haze. What drove him to it, self mutilation, the harsh way of putting it.

"Why Lingy, what made you do this?" His mother asked through her tears

"I...don't know. I...can't tell you." Linger said

"You're sick in the head son. You need help." his dad said

"No, I'm not sick, I'm confused. I need to be alone." Linger said walking over to the window

"Alone, the last time we left you alone you did...this." his dad said gesturing to the knife

That was the truth. The ruined kitchen knife. The bloodstained bathroom tiles. The wrapping of his wrists. Maybe he was sick. Sick in the head...no, that wasn't right. Linger Christoph did not need help. He had got by on his own before. He would do it again.

"Get out, please leave me alone." Linger said

"Fine, but we're taking...this. With us." his dad said

That was fine with Linger, he wanted nothing more to do with _it _for a long time. When his parents left the room, Linger sat on the floor pulling his knees up to his chest and letting the tears drip down his face. He liked his aloneness.

* * *

><p>~* The Next Day *~<p>

The bright sun sure didn't reflect the mood of one individual that stood under it. Linger's life hadn't got any better since the night before. He was now a virtual prisoner in his bedroom except to go to school. Even then he wasn't allowed to walk by himself. His parents had lost all trust in him. At least he still had his friends to confide in. Walking through the doors of the school, Linger was greeted with the noise and movement of the school rush. Normal people with normal problems, normal parents and normal lives. Linger wasn't a greaser nor a Soc but did hang about with the greasers. One of them being Ponyboy Curtis.

They had met on the first day of school when they were freshmen and had stayed friends throughout the year. Linger was one of the people who was scared for Ponyboy's life when he went missing in the autumn of their freshman year. But that was two years ago and the pair, all though still friends, didn't talk much. Lunch break was the only time that Linger was able to catch up with Ponyboy.

"Ponyboy can I ask you something?" Linger asked

"Yeah sure Linger." Ponyboy replied

Linger took a deep breath and began.

"Say you did something really terrible. Your parents stopped trusting you and you felt all alienated and unloved. How would you regain your parents trust?" Linger asked

"I don't know, that really depends on what you did in the first place." Ponyboy replied

"Say it was self-harm." Linger said trying to make it sound not too obvious

"Self-harm... that's something mental. No wonder people would lose trust if you were self-harming," Ponyboy replied "but it's just a question. Right?"

"Yeah, I mean only idiots and depressed people self harm." Linger said jokingly even though he knew the truth

Ponyboy walked home with an odd thought on his mind after school, Linger never asked questions, their conversations were usually rather odd. Odd being the operative word. But something was nagging at Ponyboy's mind, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was something in Linger's voice when he was asking Ponyboy the question, but it wasn't something recognisable...

* * *

><p><em><strong>Issues touched in this story are sensitive topics for me. I warn you now, later on this story is going to contain bouts of self-harm, suicide, isolation and <strong>_Autophobia _**(fear of being alone)**_

_**For these reasons this story is rated M, but please don't be put off. There is no sex, drugs or murder.**_

_**Please review my first chapter. It would be very much appreciated :)**_


	2. Chapter 2

**_Thus we have it, the second chapter. Thank you too: _**

******_FaLLiNgInReVeRsEfAn_******

**_First reviewer, you must be proud. Well on with the story_**

* * *

><p>Ponyboy was distracted later that night. He did his homework but was only half paying attention. It was a wonder he had it done at all. The though of Linger was floating about his head. There was something in his face when he was asking his question during lunch. Again Ponyboy couldn't quite figure out what it was. Soda noticed his brothers lack of awareness.<p>

"Hey, earth to Ponyboy." Soda said

"Huh, what. Oh sorry, I was away." Ponyboy said

"Yeah, I could see that. What was it you were thinking about?" Soda asked

"Something Linger said earlier, well he more asked." Ponyboy replied

Soda rolled his eyes. Personally he didn't like Linger that much. He was a little inquizitive for his liking. More than Ponyboy and the fact that it was another question annoyed him slightly. Couldn't Ponyboy just let it go.

"What was it he asked?" Soda asked, just to make sure it wasn't something serious

"He was asking about losing trust." Ponyboy said with uncertainty

"In what way?" Soda asked becoming slightly more interested

"He said it meaning self-harm." Ponyboy said damply

Soda digested the new information and a thought came to mind. But it wasn't a pleasant though, not one he'd like to say.

"You don't think he's..." Soda trailed off only to make a slashing gesture at his wrist.

Ponyboy's eyes widened to twice their normal size.

"No..." Ponyboy "no he meant it in a... non literal term."

Non literal, had Linger meant it in a non literal term.

* * *

><p>~~~ Meanwhile at Linger's house ~~~<p>

"Where is it?" Linger's dad shouted

"I don't know," Linger shouted back "but why are you asking me. I haven't taken it."

"Lies." his dad shouted

The wonder that Linger hadn't run away a long time ago still remained. The fact that he had considered it would have shocked his parents. How Linger stood there when his dad would shout in his face or that he took his mums occasional hits, astounded not only himself but his parents. Right now was one of those times.

"It's not lies," Linger said hotly "I am telling the truth and if you'd stop being so deaf and listen to me."

"Don't you dare shout at your father." Linger's mum cut in

"As far as I'm concerned he's no dad of mine. He sure doesn't act like it." Linger shouted

"What did you say." his dad warned

The voice was sharp and it cut into Linger like a thousand daggers. It wasn't the fist time he had said or done something wrong and his dad or mum had reacted wrongly.

"I...I..." Linger stuttered backing away

"You little shit." his dad said dangerously

Linger went to run but his dad caught him fist and brought him to the ground. Linger didn't look like his dad. He was thankful for it too. His dad possessed cold blue eyes that, when looked at from the side, could send chills down somebody's spine. Linger's own eyes were green, like his mothers. His black hair framed his, not normally chalk white, face.

His dad brought a kick into his sons side causing linger to cringe in pain.

"Please Harry, there is no need for this," his mum pleaded "I'm sure he didn't mean it. You were both angry. Everybody says things they don't mean when they are angry."

"Shut up you stupid woman." his dad snapped

Linger bore his pains until his dad let him up. Only then he escaped to his room, in which the knife still lay from yesterday...

* * *

><p>~~~ The next morning ~~~<p>

Linger sighed at himself in his bedroom mirror. He looked a sight, he hadn't washed his face off the blood last night. It had dried in around his mouth and gave the odd appearance of a vampire. That thought brought a little smile to his face but nothing could hide the quick formed bruise around his eye.

In the car on the way to school Linger was exceptionally quiet. Mainly because it was his dad who was driving him to school.

"Look, Linger," his dad said "I'm sorry about last night. You mother was right we were both angry and I over reacted a little."

_Over reacted a little is an understatement. _Linger thought. But he nodded even though staring down at his clasped hands that were placed on his lap. Just as Linger was about to get out of the car his dad caught his arm with a pincer tight grip.

"As for your face, you fell down the stairs. That goes for anything else too." his dad said

"Yeah, okay." Linger said and he practically ran out of the car.

Ponyboy was waiting for Linger. He grinned when he saw his friend, but it didn't last long. Linger kept his head down, it was an obvious sign that something was up.

"Linger, what's wrong?" Ponyboy asked, his voice full of concern

"Nothing, it doesn't matter." Linger replied trying to push past

Ponyboy knew Linger was lying. He caught him by the arm and Linger snapped.

"Don't touch me." Linger snapped

Linger had lifted his head and for the first time Ponyboy saw what Linger had been trying to hide. His mouth fell open of its own accord. Linger's right eye was black and there were cuts on his face. The faint colour of dried blood was barely visible at the corners of his mouth and around the cuts.

"What happened?" Ponyboy asked concerned tracing one of Linger's cuts

"Don't touch me." Linger snapped and jerked away from Ponyboy

The look on Linger's face startled Ponyboy. Not once since he first knew him had he ever been this rejective. Something was really up and this time Ponyboy wasn't just going to dwell on it. Something was going to be done about it.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Seems like Linger's got a touch of <strong>_Haphephobia _**which is a fear of being touched.**_

_**Thank you to xXSparky CadeXx who looked this over for me. She's not so much a beta other than a very good friend. **_

_**Well review and I'll update! Reviews make me happy ^.^ **_


	3. Chapter 3

**HOLY HELL! I've not updated in AGES! Sorry things have kept coming up and then my tonsils got removed *cough cough*. But now I've recovered and I'm back and all ready to write again :D Yay! Only a short chapter though, I'm really tired and stuff, well enjoy**

* * *

><p>Linger's fear didn't subside throughout the day, he just walked like a ghost through thorns, trying to make sure people didn't touch him, but it didn't work everywhere he went people were banging off his arms and it made him jump every time. Nobody noticed though, in their eyes Linger Christoph had always been a nervous jumpy kid, but that wasn't the truth, in fact there was a time when Linger was a normal kid with every intention of going somewhere with his life. But now it seemed as though that wasn't going to happen. Ponyboy was in Linger's fifth period class and tried to talk to him.<p>

"Linger, please tell me what's wrong?" Ponyboy asked quietly

"Nothing's wrong. Okay." Linger said without emotion

He sounded as though that was what he had been told to say. Ponyboy wasn't convinced he still wanted answers.

"Linger Christoph, you tell me what's wrong." Ponyboy commanded quietly in the class

"Ponyboy, keep out of my business okay. O wonder you don't have any other friend nobody would want to be friends with a person as nosey as you." Linger snapped

Ponyboy was taken aback at what had just been said to him. So for the rest of that period he remained silent and didn't say a word. It hurt what Linger had said, he didn't have many friend because he didn't want any more than he already had. Linger was just saying that. He was just saying that he never meant what had been said, emotions were running high since that morning.

* * *

><p>At the end of the day Ponyboy waited, he wanted to make up with Linger, he hated not being friends. But after all the kids had gone, nobody was left and Ponyboy supposed Linger had too, in the rush of everybody else. He was just about to leave when he heard the faint squeak of somebody's shoes. Ponyboy whipped round and sure enough it was Linger.<p>

"So you did wait." Linger said and he shoved past Ponyboy

"Wait, Linger, please." Ponyboy called and walked after his friend

"No Ponyboy, why should I. All you're gonna do is quiz me on what I do in my own life." Linger said hotly and he began to walk away again

Ponyboy managed to get in front of Linger, he place both his hands on Linger's shoulder and despite get shouted at several time Ponyboy got what he wanted to say.

"Linger is something wrong? That's all I want to know." Ponyboy asked

"Yes something's wrong," Linger said sadly "I'm so alone."

A sudden rush of reality hit Ponyboy at that moment. Linger used to have a brother, Jeremy, he died when he was 14, Linger was 10. He said to people that after Jeremy died he felt lonely and isolated. But it wasn't until then Ponyboy saw how much that had effected Linger.

"I-I. I cut Ponyboy, because I hate my life." Linger said and he ran

Ponyboy being the better runner caught up with Linger easily and he stopped him.

"Linger, why. Why would you hate your life so bad?" Ponyboy asked.

"Because, my dad hates me. He gave me the black eye. I just feel so alone Ponyboy and I don't want to be alone," Linger said, he sat down on the edge of the pavement "I hate myself Ponyboy. I hate it so much. I-I just want to die."

Then it became serious.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you to everybody who review I seriously thought nobody actually liked this story until I logged on and looked at my emails :) <strong>

**And to my best friend Abby [FaLLiNgInReVeRsEfAn] thank you for practically throwing my laptop at me and demanding I wrote.**

**So yeah I wrote this chapter with my best buddy :) You should check out her stories, they are really cool. Well please review and I'll catch you later**


End file.
